Seeking recommendations for a handgun, rifle, & shotgun.

[Kaleva]

I lost my guns, and pretty much everything else, in a house fire last year and am thinking of purchasing a handgun, rifle and shotgun sometime in the near future.

I don't do much hunting and if I do, it's for deer and grouse. The area I live in is hilly and wooded so long range shots are not common.

Crime isn't much of a problem here so I wouldn't be getting firearms for home defense.

I do have an interest in military history and suggestions for firearms with a military background would be a plus.

Cost is also something to be considered.

Any recommendations would be appreciated.

[dashrif]

1. Looking

at cost and if I could only have one that fits most of your needs I look at a Mossberg 835 turkey deer combo item# 62414

or look at marlin 30-30 (for side eject instead of top like a winny for easy scoping) and a field gun for the military background GI shotguns are rem 870 and moss 500 also the cav of old packed lever guns

[SteveM]

2. Before this post got shifted...

I saw a recommendation for an M1 Garand. If your eyes are good, this would be a nice open-sight rifle in the kind of woods and terrain in which you hunt (a few years back, a friend got a deer with one). Telescopic sights are available, but to put one on is expensive custom work, I am told. In the alternative, a Marlin lever-action in .35 Rem is a very good weapon. My Dad had one set up for the Florida woods, using a 4X fixed scope.

The shotgun suggestion is excellent. Some rifled slug barrels with a simple scope/"red dot" can get 2" groups @ 100 yds. And of course, you can swap out barrels for bird hunting.

The .357 idea is good as well. Mine is for home-defense, but the 6" barrel with adjustable sights is what folks who deer-hunted with handguns used for years, esp. before the rise of the .44 magnum in 1955. Of course, cheaper, milder-kicking .38 Spls. can be used.

I use a .357 Ruger "Police Service-Six" (cheaper than S&W, and still around in gun shows), two Remington 870s (one has a barrel designed for steel shot; if you buy used, get a gun which can use steel), and a Remington 700 in .270 with variable scope. But I live in Texas where you often encounter 150 yd.+ shots over pastures and meadows.

One good thing about American industry now: you can get a damned-accurate, reliable, durable "deer rifle," capable of l - l.5" groups @ 100 yds for under $750 new, some QUITE a bit under that price. (Stevens/Savage has one at $350!)

Good luck!

[old mark]

3. OK. I think you can really do well with some old standbys. I live near

dense woods, where hunting distances is measured in 10s of yards tops, rather than hundreds of yards. I prefer a light old reliable woods rifle such as Marlin or Winchester. Marlins are still being made, Winchesters are not. I have owned both, and recommend the Marlin - stronger, a bit more accurate and does not have the collector value (inflated price) of a Win.
I'd recommend the Marlin in .30-30 caliber - It works just as well as it has for the last hundred plus years, ammo is cheap and there are enough different loadings commercially available to hunt any game, from groundhogs to small bears. Good out to 150 yards or so, more with a scope.
There are millions of them available used for $250-$350 or so.
Shotgun - Mossberg Model 500 12 Ga. Again, millions available used for under $220 - I got mine for $175. I have 2 barrels, one cut down to 20 inches, one long for hunting.

Handguns- Why? I have several because I enjoy them and have a license to carry one for over 15 years. I assume yours is for hunting and home defense.

I'd recommend a revolver, either a used Ruger Security Six or a used S&W eother in .357 Magnum - can also use .38 Special ammo, very versatile, very safe, easy to learn and use and no problems with "jams". I just bought a used S&W .357 revolver for $375 ( A 1969 Highway Patrolman 4" barrel and adjustable rear sight). If you really want one of each, that's what I'd recommend - but you can do it all with the Mossberg with different choke tubes - I'd certainly buy that first...it's very simple and reliable.

Sorry to be so long winded.

mark

[old mark]

4. Forgot to add - the Mossberg 500 was used by the US military in a slightly

modified form for years. It's very reliable and rugged and easy to clean. Link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mossberg_500#Military_use


mark

[Euromutt]

5. If it's military history you want, there's no end of military surplus options

At least, as far as rifles and handguns are concerned; shotguns, not so much.

I recently picked up an M59/66 (aka a "Yugo SKS"); I've wanted one for some time, because I was thoroughly immersed in the Yugoslav wars of the 1990s due to working at the UN International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia for 3+ years. Even though this particular rifle looks like it had been kept in reserve stocks for the past few decades (it's in really good shape), the M59/66 is one of the few SKS variants to have actually been used in a shooting war. It'll do for whitetail (you can change out the stock and remove the bayonet for hunting), and you shouldn't pay more than $300 for one at the very most.

With pistols, the general problem is that the price of the pistol is generally inversely proportionate to the availability of ammunition. The going price for a Soviet post-1930 M1895 Nagant revolver is $89, but two boxes of 50 anemic Fiocchi target rounds each will set you back as much as the revolver did, and right now, Fiocchi is the only company that makes new 7.62x38R.

There's always Tokarevs and Makarovs, of course, though any variant made in Warsaw Pact member states other than the USSR is highly unlikely to have been used in action.

[Kaleva]

6. Thanks for all the suggestions so far! A question about a Russian Mosin M91/30.

I had a Mosin-Nagent carbine and a great uncle's Mosin M91/30. I had paid a little over a $100.00 for the carbine and it looks like a rifle in good to excellent condition would cost upwards of about $150.00. Anyone have an opinion on the Mosin's?

[old mark]

7. They are certainly worth having - there are 2 problems- the safety is

a little awkward to operate and the recoil of the carbine can be -um-interesting.
It uses a very good cartridge, similar the the .30-06, that is readily available online in hunting loads as well as surplus military stuff. VERY rugged, and usually pretty accurate, and most of them have been re-built to like new condition - impossible to beat for the money.

mark

[Kaleva]

10. The recoil of the carbine seperates the men from the boys.

Decided I was a boy after firing it a few times and gave the carbine to my then 11 year old step-son.

[dashrif]

8. Price

is right, I think the carbine is a waste big flash, kick and not as accurate also look at the Lee Enfield 303 or Inda made 308

pic of both with after market montie's and scopes if you like the updated sporter look

mosin
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=155714638
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=157302105
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=157189363
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=157271321




lee

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=156594744
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=157036640
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=157101040
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=156795937

[krispos42]

9. How about a replica 1863 Springfield?

Muzzle-loading rifle. I bet with some practice you could make lethal hits on deer at up to 200 yards. Just, yanno... don't miss.

The Garand is a good choice. You can buy 5-round en bloc clips for it that conform to hunting regulations.

Any AK-47-pattern gun would be good for deer as well, especially if you got something military-surplus.

Lots of Mausers were converted to sporting use... German in 8x57mm, Spanish in 7x57mm, Swedish in 6.5x55mm. And you can pretty much bet those are battlefield weapons.

[Kaleva]

11. The Garand is rather pricey

http://www.thecmp.org/m1garand.htm

Altough if I had the money to spend, I think I'd get one. The most I think my wife would let me spend is about $500.00 and i think I'm going to try and get maybe 3 guns with that.

[oneshooter]

12. Just a little more

Rifle: M1Garand 30-06 Win WW2

#4 Mk 1 Enfield .303 Brit WW2

#3 Mk1 Enfield .303 Brit. WW1

Mosin Nagant 91/30 7.62X54 Rimmed WW1-WW2

K98 7.92X57 WW2


Shotguns Mossburg 500 12ga 3"

Remington 870 12ga 3"

Winchester M97 12ga 2 3/4"

Pistols/revolvers Springfield Arms 1911a1 45acp

Ruger Super Blackhawk 44mag 41mag

Ruger Blackhawk 357 mag 45 Colt

Browning Hi-Power 9mm

Radon pistol 7.62X25 9mm

Makarov PM 8x18mm

Enfield No. 2 Mk I Revolver 38 S&W


Just a few with a military history.


Oneshooter
Armed and Livin in Texas

[Kaleva]

13. Purchased a Mosin-Nagant 1891 Dragoon rifle made in 1924....

for $225.00 from a gun shop listed in GunsAmerica. Should be getting it sometime next week. I'm keeping an eye on a Mosin-Nagant Model 1944 carbine also.

[dashrif]

14. if

you go for the sporter look this is a great mod combo. http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=158712842
If you don't at least put the pull ring safety on it your fingers will thank you.

Good luck with your rifle have fun and be safe and enter the DU paper plate web match


edit: for spelling

[Kaleva]

15. Picked up the rifle this afternoon. Very pleased with it!